Used Buyer Beware: GM Recalling 200,000 Vehicles
Imagine buying a used car, getting it home, parking it in the garage, then waking in the middle of the night to flames caused by that car.
It’s not a likely scenario, but it is possible. If you recently purchased, or plan to purchase, a used GM SUV, be sure to check for recalls before signing on the dotted line.
Fires caused by a defect in a car are rare, but around 200,000 2005, 2006 and 2007 SUVs made by General Motors are being recalled because of that risk.
The vehicles being recalled are some 2005 Saab 9-7x vehicles, 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL SUVs, and 2006 and 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Saab 9-7x, and Isuzu Ascender SUVs.
Water can get into an electronic module inside the door, causing it to corrode and, ultimately, short circuit. When that happens, the power door lock and power window switches could stop working. The short could also cause the module to overheat, smoke and burn.
Since a fire could start even when the vehicle is parked, owners are being advised not to park the vehicle in their garages, where a fire could spread to the home.
It would seem logical to me that parking in a garage would be safer for the vehicle than parking outside in a rainstorm, but I didn’t write the recall, so I’ll keep my comments to myself. If you recently bought one of these cars, be sure to check GM’s recall site, where you can check to see if your vehicle is part of the recall and get instructions on how to handle it.
Checking for recalls should become just another step in your research process as you shop for a car. Have it checked by a mechanic, check the vehicle history report, and check the manufacturer’s list of recalls in case anything has been missed.
Odds are, if there has been a recall, it will be a minor issue, but sometimes larger issues come up, and you don’t want to be left uninformed should a recall involve something potentially serious.
Have you ever purchased a used car you later discovered was part of a serious recall?